BTW Dimitri: Do you have a Mark1 Road book working on a competitor's bike in the Dakar 2014?

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I am waiting for test results from two elite riders to see if they will race it, being so close to Dak, only factory riders can afford to change towers. At least one ATV rider will race it (last years forth place ) so whatever happens with the elite ones, valuable data will be gathered. Next week I will have a better idea because it's a very long shot after next week. Even for factories to manage, but because it is the rider's call, they may be able to switch equipment (compared to privateers were that is not possible).

EDIT: I am with Troy on the GasGas being a beautiful bike. imo it looks way sexier than most Rally bikes on the field. This wall-e look is amazing :huh

I am waiting for test results from two elite riders to see if they will race it, being so close to Dak, only factory riders can afford to change towers. At least one ATV rider will race it (last years forth place ) so whatever happens with the elite ones, valuable data will be gathered. Next week I will have a better idea because it's a very long shot after next week. Even for factories to manage, but because it is the rider's call, they may be able to switch equipment (compared to privateers were that is not possible).

EDIT: I am with Troy on the GasGas being a beautiful bike. imo it looks way sexier than most Rally bikes on the field. This wall-e look is amazing :huh

Oh, come off it tREV... get off the fence of objectivity and crawl around in the accusational mud with the rest of us...

About JV's sporting ambition/motivations for the jump...

Yeah, sure on paper the KTM deal is a big carrot... but it's for one ride... the 2014 Dakar...? Right? (maybe not... but extremely unlikely that in less than a week KTM brass decide on trapping up their 2014 season to include a previously - uncontracted rider from the competition).

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That is a good point. I think though that KTM plans ahead more than 2014. They know that Honda will be there and that the japs will do anything to reminds us of the NXR era, untli they leave with so many trophies that they don't have enough space for them

It will be a hard pill to swallow if the ride is just for a year, may be they have some small font paragraphs in there, but, still. We are thinking as everyday people with everyday bikes that may or may not take part in rally races in the amateur class. There people breath sand. They are in need of the nest equipment.
Imagine that pros will change equipment because of the sponsors. For example if you were running Mich's for free and then comes Metzeler with a block of money at hand, you would swap hands down. No? And this is just for running equipment.

And take into account the details. If JV had a contract that he could not break, (let us suppose that GG did not get any money from KTM) then GG could just refuse the transfer. So simple. They could just refuse it. Thank you KTM but no thanks.Of course then JV could change his attitude in Dak race, but I really don't think he would.
So, for JV, to being able to swap teams, sth does not quite add up. May be GG has financial problems, may be JV has not being paid, may be , may be etc... We just do not know the facts from GG's press releases and nobody seems to be able to track something. Either way, this probably has started a long time ago in JV's mind. May be when Laia left the team, dunno. But you don't just wake up one day, you get the offer and say ''what the hell? see you guys...'' . You get the offer and you leave because the team you are in does not offer you what the others do. And in this level the riders just walk away. It has happened in the F1 in Lotus with the financial problems they had for example... And I am sure with more teams to come, things will get ugly...

there is a lot of chatter about this deal but none of us really know the terms of the contract JV had with Gas Gas. There are usually "get out of dodge" terms in the contracts for both the manufacturer and the rider. I do not want to speculate what was the deal but there was certainly more to it then we can see.

As far as the issue of loyalty... there is none... The factories are as loyal to the riders as the riders are to them. Contract is all that is there really. A manufacturer will break a contract with the rider as long as all the legalities are in place and sometimes even if they are not. Yes sure there are long term relationships that are fostered but all that goes up in flames if the economy gets shaky, marketing dollars are cut or the rally loving CEO leaves the helm. Why are we up in arms if a rider does so as well? The timing certainly is sensitive here but so is the opportunity. If there was something malicious ... well the courts would be involved for sure.

Gas Gas may not be happy but something tells me that JV had a pretty good "get-out-of-doge" clause in his contract with them otherwise that pressie may have sounded something like this " we were done wrong, JV is in breach of contract and we are taking him and Matighoffen to the hammer.."

there is a lot of chatter about this deal but none of us really know the terms of the contract JV had with Gas Gas. There are usually "get out of dodge" terms in the contracts for both the manufacturer and the rider. I do not want to speculate what was the deal but there was certainly more to it then we can see.

As far as the issue ...............

Gas Gas may not be happy but something tells me that JV had a pretty good "get-out-of-doge" clause in his contract with them otherwise that pressie may have sounded something like this " we were done wrong, JV is in breach of contract and we are taking him and Matighoffen to the hammer.."

my two cents FWIW

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This is Rally folks and the whole focus for the year and is on one event - the big D

All other events are a bonus and a prelude to the big one, I would find it highly unlikely for such a clause to be available to either party before the event - that is unless injury related

Sorry Trev, this is the wrong forum if your going to try and pull that 'reasonable' crap

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+1
In the next months you've got to strengthen your confidence in your emotional gut reactions or the slow clap won't work when it is needed most. Those riders caught in the snowball will be counting on you!

The factories are as loyal to the riders as the riders are to them. Contract is all that is there really. A manufacturer will break a contract with the rider as long as all the legalities are in place and sometimes even if they are not. Yes sure there are long term relationships that are fostered but all that goes up in flames if the economy gets shaky, marketing dollars are cut or the rally loving CEO leaves the helm. Why are we up in arms if a rider does so as well? The timing certainly is sensitive here but so is the opportunity. If there was something malicious ... well the courts would be involved for sure.

Gas Gas may not be happy but something tells me that JV had a pretty good "get-out-of-doge" clause in his contract with them otherwise that pressie may have sounded something like this " we were done wrong, JV is in breach of contract and we are taking him and Matighoffen to the hammer.."

my two cents FWIW

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Mid season swap, no problem (maybe), late season swap, meh. Just over thirty days from the start when your sponsor has already laid out a lot of cash and shipped your support equipment with the rest of the goods out of Le Havre .that's another story. I will surely admit that there are a lot of particulars that we are all not privy to, until then in the spirit of the ADV salute, we speculate. I haven't seen anyone here (including me) calling for a horse and a rope to draw and quarter JV. I certainly don't wish him any ill will. JV is not the first rider in the modern era to show less than "high class." Cyril's mud-gate and Coma's fresh tire in the marathon come to mind. Maybe GG is in financial trouble, but having already shipped the kit for this years Dakar, I would imagine that their budget is okay for the even, just maybe not the rest of 2014.

To JV or not to JV, that is the question...It would seem that JV JV'd with KTM to get more JV, I mean gravy.

No one has been able to answer the question what a rally pilot earns per year...anyone know?

I expect guys like MC and CdP would be way up there, but how about someone like JV.

Anyway all this talk about JV, honour and all that other good stuff got me thinking about Kurt again. I mean what a contrast: He has been with KTM al his life. I suppose we could say the same about Coma and Faria?

Maybe he will find one he likes soon - Nasser in the Dubai leg of the WRT - in a Focus here, but still Red Bull - him now driving under Monster in the Dakar must be testing this relationship just a little?

Maybe he will find one he likes soon - Nasser in the Dubai leg of the WRT - in a Focus here, but still Red Bull - him now driving under Monster in the Dakar must be testing this relationship just a little?

I wonder what his fleet of non work related cars looks like?

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Who...? You mean Nasser All Attire?

* Being fair, I think that RG has had all of those brand labels on his pyjamas also, over the last several years...